Lorena's Mexican Restaurant, Portland

Three generations of kitchen expertise inform the mouth-melting meals at Lorena’s Mexican Restaurant, a new restaurant with no shortage of seafood specials and tender carnitas combos. General manager David Robles calls on the expertise of Mama Robles in classic meals such as the chorizo burrito with huevos, the Chili Colorado with slow-cooked beef and red sauce, and the house’s signature cocktail, the Prickly Pair Margarita. Those in the mood for a light snack might simply pair the complimentary chips with a flight of dips—queso, bean, and guacamole—which allows diners to choose which sauce best matches their shirt.